Early Learning Hub

Help Redesign Spark

March 3, 2023
The Research Institute at Western Oregon University (WOU) is looking for parents/guardians and child care providers/early educators to participate in redesigning the statewide Quality Recognition Improvement System – otherwise known as Spark - a program designed to support, recognize, and communicate to families about high-quality early childhood care and education programs.
 
WOU has partnered with Community Wealth Partners (CWP) to support a listening, learning, and design process that is led by a group of parents/guardians and child care providers/early childhood educators. This process is centered on the belief that the people who have or work with young children should be the ones leading the work on redesigning the Spark system so that it is meaningful and useful to them.
 
These positions will listen and gather information from fellow parents/guardians and early educators from their communities through surveys and virtual or in-person conversations and interviews. They will also review the information gathered and work together to develop redesign recommendations.
 
Listening and Design Team Members will:
 
  • Earn $50/hr
  • Work approximately 50 hours from late March thru July, including one weekly virtual meeting
  • Receive support for technology and childcare
  • Receive training
We encourage people who speak Spanish, English, and/or are bilingual in English and an additional language to apply.
 
How do you apply?
 
The application is via email. By March 13, please email the following application information to Walter Howell at whowell@communitywealth.com (copy and paste the information below, and in your message fill in your information and send)
 
  • Name, phone number, email address
  • Town/city where you live
  • Languages spoken (including ASL)
  • Brief response to the following two questions in a few sentences:
    • Why do you want to be part of this listening team?
    • What is most important to you in childcare and early education?
 
For more information visit https://oregonspark.org/spark-redesign/